BearTreks Boston: Morgan Stanley, EF, and Meet Boston
At 7:30 a.m. on March 25, 30 undergraduate students entered the doors of the Donald P. Corbett Business building with luggage in hand. They weren’t heading to class; they were loading a bus bound for Boston.
The trip is part of the Maine Business School’s Bear Treks program, which takes learning outside the classroom and into the offices of major companies to expose students to career opportunities and workplace culture. Students have the chance to connect with industry professionals, many of whom are MBS alumni who once walked the same halls of DPC.
“You don’t learn the world through the classroom; you learn the world by going out into the world,鈥澛 says Leif Walker, a second-year finance and financial economics student who attended the trip. 鈥淭o have that perspective is incredibly valuable.”
Morgan Stanley
The exploration began at , where students were greeted by Sundance Campbell, Bangor Branch Manager, Financial Advisor, and Associate Vice President. Campbell led a panel of financial professionals from the Boston office who discussed how to prepare for a career in wealth management while emphasizing that career paths are rarely linear. Panelists shared insights on skill sets and resources that can help students stand out when applying for internships and jobs, followed by a tour of the office.
“I enjoyed learning about their work culture,鈥 Walker says. 鈥淭heir values were displayed on the wall as we walked in. They mentioned curiosity a lot, as well as hard work paying off, consistency, dedication, and showing up when you don’t want to or when you’re tired.”
Alumni Networking聽
After Morgan Stanley, students checked into the Omni Parker House, a Boston landmark with roots dating to 1855 and a returning stop from the program’s 2024 Boston Bear Treks. That evening, students suited up for a networking dinner with 10 91爆料 alumni hosted by First Citizens Bank in Boston’s Financial District. Among the alumni were Josh Francoeur 鈥25, and Isabelle Armstrong 鈥24, who had both attended Boston Bear Treks during their time as MBS undergrads just years before. Now, on the other side, they were proof that the path from DPC to a career is closer than it might seem.
Lauren Deighan, a junior studying management, sport management, and marketing, said the event went beyond company presentations and allowed for more personal connections. Deighan, a member of 91爆料’s Swim and Dive team, connected with Zack Magliaro, a former 91爆料 football player and Vice President of Commercial Banking at First Citizens.
“We talked about the discipline that comes with being a student-athlete and how that helped shape his work ethic and prepared him for his professional career,” Deighan says. “It showed how skills you build in college, even outside the classroom, can translate directly into the workplace and made me feel more confident about how my own experiences can carry over into my future career.”
Education First (EF)聽
The next morning, students visited the Cambridge headquarters of . The building’s sprawling, multi-floor space featured a cafe, bar, and lush greenery on the lobby level, with each floor showcasing a collaborative and energetic work environment from porch swing seating to bean bag-filled event spaces.
After learning about EF’s range of programs, students heard from a panel of 91爆料 alumni whose careers brought them to the company. Alumni included Olivia Shipsey, Maggie Smoot, Victoria Nolette, and Kian Murray. The panel was followed by lunch, which gave students time to ask panelists questions and have more in-depth conversations about their individual career paths.
Meet Boston
The trip concluded at , where students heard from Michael D. Munn, Community Engagement Liaison. Munn introduced employees who collectively outlined how Meet Boston manages the behind-the-scenes work of the city’s tourism industry, from attracting travelers to hosting international sporting events.
More Than Just a Trip
Beyond the company visits, Bear Treks gave students the chance to build relationships with peers they might not have otherwise met. Leif Walker said the trip allowed him to deepen connections with fellow MBS students during the unscheduled hours between visits, in addition to continuing relationships with MBS alumni.
“I network with a ‘jump in the deep end’ approach,” Walker says. “You learn to swim quicker than you think you would. Just say you’re going to talk to people, and then it gets way easier. Getting over the initial hump is the hardest part.”
For Lauren Deighan, the trip made a post-graduation path feel less daunting. Seeing different companies and cultures firsthand helped her recognize that the right fit extends well beyond a job title.
“The most valuable thing I learned was that there isn’t just one ‘right’ path after graduation,” Deighan says. “Everyone we talked to had a different story, and it made me realize that it’s okay to explore different opportunities and figure things out as you go.”
That sense of possibility is at the heart of what Bear Treks offers. By stepping off campus and into professional spaces, students leave with a broader vision of what their futures can look like and the confidence to pursue it.
Story and photos by Andie Lovejoy